The latest edition of our Impact newsletter is now available!
Weekly edition of IMPACT, a publication of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce | Thurs., March 18, 2021
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CALL TO ACTION! Two major labor bills scheduled for public hearings Overtime bill and “for cause” termination proposals slated next week Two of the most significant labor bills of this session have been scheduled for public hearings before the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. Both bills would considerably alter the business landscape in Maine by adding significantly to the cost of doing business here and by making the state an outlier to nearly every other state in the country. If either bill or, even worse, both bills pass, the impact on the business environment here would be nothing short of catastrophic. Therefore, we are asking that our members testify in opposition to these critical bills. Read more...
Legislative Strictly Social Coffee Hour Tuesday, March 23, 2021 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Held Virtually on Zoom Details | Registration
Governor Mills signs bipartisan supplemental budget supporting Maine businesses and workers into law Earlier today (March 18), Governor Janet Mills announced that she has signed the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 supplemental budget into law. The bipartisan supplemental budget, which passed the Senate unanimously and the House by a vote of 139-1, provides State income tax relief to all Maine businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program funds and exempts unemployment benefits from State income taxes for approximately 160,000 Mainers. “The Maine State Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Governor Mills and the Legislature for working hard and in a bipartisan manner to solve problems and enact a supplemental budget that will provide critical relief to Maine businesses and unemployed Maine people alike,” said Dana Connors, president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to address other pressing issues facing our state and continuing our economic recovery.” The Governor also signed into law a package of bills that, in part, codifies into law Executive Orders she has issued supporting restaurants, bars and distilleries, which have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full press release…
Governor Mills announces extension of State Income Tax Deadline to May 17, 2021 Governor Janet Mills announced today (March 18) that the State of Maine will move the deadline for Maine individual income tax payments from April 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021. The change aligns with the Federal government’s recent extension of the Federal tax filing and payment deadline. Read the full press release…
Chamber testifies in opposition to three more bills seeking to increase income taxes On Tuesday, March 16, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce testified before the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation in opposition to three bills that would increase income taxes in the state. Linda Caprara testified on behalf of the Maine State Chamber in strong opposition to LD 495, An Act to Improve Tax Progressivity by Establishing New Top Individual Income Tax Rates; LD 532, An Act to Lower income Taxes for Middle Income Families in Maine; and, LD 570, An Act to Provide for Fairness in the Taxation of Extraordinary and Unearned Income by Establishing a 3 Percent Surcharge on Net Capital Gains and Dividend Income over $250,000 for Taxpayers Filing Single or Married Filing Separate Returns and Over $500,000 for Taxpayers Filing Joint Returns. Read more...
Recent Media Interviews Featured on News Center Maine: Business leaders anticipate recovery for Maine's industries hardest hit during pandemic Featured on WVOM's George Hale Ric Tyler Show: Maine State Chamber’s Linda Caprara on the Chamber’s Opposition to Bills Proposing Tax Increases
Maine State Chamber opposes legislation to limit foreign investments, free speech The Maine State Chamber delivered testimony to the Joint Standing  Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs for a public hearing on Monday, March 15, in opposition to three bills: LD 194, An Act To Prohibit Contributions, Expenditures and Participation by Foreign Government-owned Entities To Influence Referenda (EMERGENCY); LD 479, An Act To Ban Foreign Campaign Contributions and Expenditures in Maine Elections; and, LD 641, An Act To Prohibit Contributions, Expenditures and Participation by Foreign Nationals To Influence Referenda (EMERGENCY). Read our testimony here...
Education committee considers proposal to develop STEM employment and higher education opportunities In its latest public hearing, the Education & Cultural Affairs committee heard testimony on LD 515, An Act To Create New Models of Maine Manufacturing Employment and Education.  Sponsored by Rep. Michael Sylvester (D-Portland), this bill would require the STEM council to coordinate the development of STEM employment and higher education opportunities.  This would require public-private partnerships and involve the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System, Adult Education, the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), and the Loring Development Authority. Read more here...
Massive survey outlines biggest 2021 Maine business needs Signs of optimism, injection of cash and Covid reimbursements highlight results More than 500 Maine business leaders from 35 industries helped the Maine Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE), the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the Maine Tourism Association (MTA) chart the course for 2021 by participating in the 2021 Moving Forward Business Survey. The six-part comprehensive survey was administered in December 2020 to capture the perspective of business owners heading into 2021. Survey analysis finished two weeks ago and the final 36-page report was released on March 16, 2021. Read the press release online, as well as the executive summary and key takeaways.
Upcoming Public Hearings Legislation of Interest Public hearings are open to everyone, despite the Statehouse’s restricted access status during the pandemic. Typically, the committee’s meeting room is listed below, but during the pandemic, Maine State Chamber members should plan to watch and listen to legislative committees by using one of the Legislature’s YouTube channels. The Legislature also released these guides for participation in public hearings and work sessions, and you will need to register to submit testimony if you plan to testify on a particular bill. Also, this public hearing schedule is subject to changes and updates; we advise that you check the committee’s calendar or contact the committee clerk. Each committee name listed below is linked to the corresponding committee page. Each week, Maine Chamber staff studies each of the recently printed bills to assess potential impact on business trends. We are sharing those bills of concern with you here. If you have concerns regarding any bill, please communicate those concerns to a member of our advocacy team by calling (207) 623-4568.   A total of 153 business-related bills have been tracked to date since the session began on January 6, 2021! View the list of Public Hearings for March 22 through April 2... View the complete list of legislation we're watching for you...
Join us on Monday, March 22 beginning at 3:00 p.m. Tune in on Thursday, March 25 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Since the February 1 launch of the Maine State Chamber’s weekly public affairs program, The Maine Take with Dana Connors, the livestream program has hosted all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation, Governor Janet Mills, leaders from the University of Maine and Maine’s Community College System, representatives from HospitalityMaine and Maine Restaurant Week, and more. In March, the program was proud to celebrate International Women’s Day, as well as Statehood Day and Maine’s Bicentennial. Be sure to watch this Monday, March 22, for a timely legislative update from the Maine State Chamber’s Advocacy Team, a presentation on carbon dividends as a market-based solution to addressing climate change, and more. The Maine Take livestreams on Mondays at 3:00 p.m. on the Chamber’s website and YouTube channel. For more information, please email jwebber@mainechamber.org. On Thursday, March 25 at 10:00 a.m., The Bottom Line co-hosts Dana Connors of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and John Williams of Williams Broadcasting will be joined by Stephen W. Gove, executive director of the Maine Municipal Association, to discuss the impact of the pandemic on Maine’s municipalities. To listen live, please visit Williams Broadcasting at www.williamsbroadcasting.net and scroll down to “Listen Online” at the bottom of the homepage. To listen to the archived recordings any time, please visit The Bottom Line page on the Maine State Chamber’s website at www.mainechamber.org/the-bottom-line.html. In addition, The Bottom Line podcast can be heard on iTunes, iHeart Radio, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, Spotify and radio.com. Sponsorships are limited so book your spot today! For current analytics, more information, or to secure your sponsorship, please email melanieb@mainechamber.org.
To learn more or to register, please click on the event image or links below. Did you miss the 2021 Human Resource Issues Update this morning? The recording for this event is now available online. Watch it here Broadband Expansion in Maine: Bring ME Up To Speed Series Webinar 3 in the Series: New England’s Regional Perspective Sponsored by Mission Broadband Tuesday, April 6, 2021 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Held Virtually on Zoom Details | Registration Succession Planning as an Entrepreneurial Exit Thursday, April 8, 2021 11:00 a.m. to Noon Held Virtually on Zoom Details | Registration
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